Freddy Adu

[AlwaysRedwood]

A little unlikely that a 6 or 7 year old was playing against 18/21 yearolds, no?

So, then you think he was 10 years older, which means immigration officials and school officials in the states couldn't tell the difference between a 8 year old and an 18 year old. There is a massive difference between getting a fake passport and work papers and immigrating to another country.

Incomprehensibly stupid.

It's very, very rare that a child is so phyically developed that they are happy to play him with players much older. It's not even allowed in England (I can't imagine America are less strict), you are allowed to play in the age group above you as a maximum.

Yes, well, if you had actually read the article you linked to you would have seen that he played in dirt lots against older men in street games. So, you've failed with your own link.

Why don't you read this from the link wiki provided:

Yet even if Freddy excels in those venues, the odds are stacked against his future stardom. Out of 144 players from the ’99 U-17 championship who were eligible for their country’s 2002 World Cup rosters, only three (Donovan, Beasley and Brazil’s Kaká) made it to Korea/Japan last summer. “Freddy’s without a doubt the most talented kid we’ve ever seen at that age,” says U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, “but who knows where he’ll be two years down the road?” Says D.C. United coach Ray Hudson, who watched Freddy train with his team for a week last fall, “A blind man on a galloping horse can see his talent. He’s a little Fabergé egg, and everyone’s just trying to protect him.”

Welcome to reality.

10 years old compared to 14 years old is a huge difference in terms of Footballing development even if you have an abnormal physique

So, your point is what? When he was 14 and, according to the link you provided, "oves to become the most talked-about youth in American soccer history. The videotapes don’t lie. Here’s Freddy slaloming through three Columbus Crew defenders -- seasoned pros -- on a single run."

So, as a 14 year old, he was making "seasoned pros" look ridiculous. That crazy age advantage of negative 6 years was working wonders.

14 years old and playing against men? I've not heard of it before or since. The youngest previous to Adu was Gaven who was 16 years old and 2 months, about the same age as Rooney.

Here's where we get to the fantastic part of your conclusion. They are fecking MLS players. No where do you describe what level of MLS players they are. They could have been the reserves, complete shit journeymen with no place on a football field.

In actual MLS games when he played, he simply wasn't very good.

Any way you look at it, the argument does not hold up in any way except people desperately wanting it to be true.

It's laughable.

 

[mboRa ndomHer0723]

A little unlikely that a 6 or 7 year old was playing against 18/21 yearolds, no?

That does seem unlikely but it can just be down to exaggeration from whoever said it.

It's very, very rare that a child is so phyically developed that they are happy to play him with players much older. It's not even allowed in England (I can't imagine America are less strict), you are allowed to play in the age group above you as a maximum.

I played 2-3 years older and I was not as developed as some of my teammates. it is very common in America, in fact a few teams I played on everyone was playing up at least 1 year.

10 years old compared to 14 years old is a huge difference in terms of Footballing development even if you have an abnormal physique

How big was Freddy at 10 compared to other 10 year olds? It does seem like there would be a bit of a difference but I always thought he was older when Inter offered him but it does appear that he was 10 when Inter put in an offer for him.

14 years old and playing against men? I've not heard of it before or since. The youngest previous to Adu was Gaven who was 16 years old and 2 months, about the same age as Rooney.

Philly and New England signed 15 year olds recently

Like Alwaysredwood always says MLS was looking(and still looking) for stars so they can sell more tickets/shirts/etc

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

Oh, and finally, here's one last passage from Pexbo's link that should put all this to rest:

Since their arrival in Potomac, Freddy and Fro (now 11 and in the U.S. under-15 pool) have thrived in sports and in school. Yet Freddy had never played organized soccer until the day a fourth-grade classmate, dazzled by Freddy’s recess exploits, brought him to a tournament hosted by the Potomac Soccer Association.

So, his mother got fake papers for Adu to play a sport which he then did not play.

Brilliant.

Keep 'em coming.

 

[Pexbo]

So, his mother got fake papers for Adu to play a sport which he then did not play.

Brilliant.

Keep 'em coming.

So he'd never really played football before but he took it up and the next day was a prodigal sensation.

Brilliant.

Keep 'em coming.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

What? The headline says that alot of these players had a false age proof. Hence it isn't too outlandish for people to suspect a player, who shows early promise and then fades away, to have a false age proof to excel at lower age groups. .

It's rather outlandish to suspect a player, who grew up in nation like USA that has all the equipment to find out if he is an age cheat, just because he was born in Africa. To do that means you think African's can never fail at football and they have to be age cheats to not fulfil their promise. Which is so ridiculous a stance to have.

I may or may not be a fair thing to assume it for every player but its a fair hypothesis.

It's not a fair hypo thesis at all. We know loads of players from Europe and else where who had early promise and never fulfilled it. Early promise means feck all really if a player never matures enough to kixk on and make good on it.


It's not like Africans are the only ones who do age cheating. South American's do too but it hasn't tainted them as much.

 

[Spoony]

Rubber, what's your real age then? I suspect....you've been lying all along.

 

[Ole'sbodyguard]

Seen this 'age cheat' argument a fair bit over the years with Adu and other Africans.

Is there actually an example of this ever happening and being proven in any sport or is it an urban myth?

 

[championo]

So if he was not a kid, then he was just a midget?

 

[Pexbo]

So if he was not a kid, then he was just a midget?

At 14 years old he was 5'8".

In the following 9 years he has grown to a whopping 5'8".

Interesting really, the average man does not stop growing until he is at least 19 years old.

 

[Successful]

Redwood, it's obviously a big difference between a 13 and 16 year old. If you are 20 years old claiming you are 15 you will look like superman - end of story. You could take Gibson and say he's 17 and he would look like the best player on the planet for that age, and he's good enough to hold up his game against the big boys, but not to dominate. As a matter of fact any player above the age of 23 in the PL is better than a 17 y/o. So once he's starting to reach the level where he's suppose to dominate it's not going to happen. Playing in the MSL is not the same as being a professional in Europe either. It's pure garbage - with regards to the american fans.

There's no secret a lot of african players lie about their age, and most of the times they don't even know when they were born. They're just kids playing on the street and their parents are dead. Other players who are a lot older than they really are are probably Oba Martins, Kanu, and Okucha - or however you spell his name.
What you can say about Freddy Adu is that he had a nice time in bed. He really made the best of his time in the spotlights and fair play to him.

 

[Brwned]

Rubber, what's your real age then? I suspect....you've been lying all along.

Well, he said he was late 30s two years ago, until his birthday came up two weeks later which said he was 29.

 

[Successful]

Seen this 'age cheat' argument a fair bit over the years with Adu and other Africans.

Is there actually an example of this ever happening and being proven in any sport or is it an urban myth?

You cannot prove it. There's no way to measure age.

What they do know is that some players don't have a real birthdate but an estimated one because they are kids that are found lonely on the street. So only telling by that you can understand there are some errors done. Then there are the agents. Of course they want to promote a player the best way they can. Age is quite relevant to begin with.

 

[Pexbo]

There's no secret a lot of african players lie about their age, and most of the times they don't even know when they were born. They're just kids playing on the street and their parents are dead. Other players who are a lot older than they really are are probably Oba Martins, Kanu, and Okucha - or however you spell his name.

Babayaro said he was in the same youth team as Obi Martins despite being 6 years older than him.

This was also backed up by the Nigerian FA's Website who had his D.O.B down as May, 1978 rather than October 1984

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Seen this 'age cheat' argument a fair bit over the years with Adu and other Africans.

Is there actually an example of this ever happening and being proven in any sport or is it an urban myth?

Down here in Africa a few nations have been caught doing it, but its been dying out in the better developed African footballing nations. From Brazil it was former Inter player Eriberto Silva caught in that storm.

 

[redwhiteblack]

Redwood, it's obviously a big difference between a 13 and 16 year old. If you are 20 years old claiming you are 15 you will look like superman - end of story. You could take Gibson and say he's 17 and he would look like the best player on the planet for that age

I dunno about that...

You'd certainly wonder if he'd been taking hormone enhancers and was a fecking big, strong 17 year old!

 

[Successful]

I dunno about that...

You'd certainly wonder if he'd been taking hormone enhancers and was a fecking big, strong 17 year old!

It's not about the size. I was thinking about his game. He would be a better footballer overall.

 

[redwhiteblack]

It's not about the size. I was thinking about his game. He would be a better footballer overall.

But best in the World? I dunno.

 

[Successful]

But best in the World? I dunno.

Top 30...50+

 

[redwhiteblack]

Top 30...50+

Comfortably in that exclusive, elite 'top 50 17/18 year olds in the world'.

 

[Nucks]

Anyone think that the reason maybe he didn't develop, was that he spent his formative years in the US?

Put him at a top club in Europe with a well known developmental program and it might be a different story.

Potential is only potential, you need the right dedication (he apparently is a lazy ass), the right teachers, the right environment among other things.

He was in the US and he was lazy.

 

[redwhiteblack]

Anyone think that the reason maybe he didn't develop, was that he spent his formative years in the US?

Put him at a top club in Europe with a well known developmental program and it might be a different story.

Potential is only potential, you need the right dedication (he apparently is a lazy ass), the right teachers, the right environment among other things.

He was in the US and he was lazy.

Plus he was a 60 year old, African midget, apparently...

 

[mboRa ndomHer0723]

At 14 years old he was 5'8".

In the following 9 years he has grown to a whopping 5'8".

Interesting really, the average man does not stop growing until he is at least 19 years old.

Plus he was a 60 year old, African midget, apparently...

Little person

 

[redwhiteblack]

Little person

It's alright, I'm 5'8 too so I can say 'midget'.

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

So he'd never really played football before but he took it up and the next day was a prodigal sensation.

Brilliant.

Keep 'em coming.

Christ.

He obviously played football in Ghana.

If you change your birth certificate to come into another country to play football and you don't immediately start playing, you know, FOOTBALL, well, then.....

Come on, now, try to put it together.

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

Redwood, it's obviously a big difference between a 13 and 16 year old. If you are 20 years old claiming you are 15 you will look like superman - end of story. You could take Gibson and say he's 17 and he would look like the best player on the planet for that age, and he's good enough to hold up his game against the big boys, but not to dominate. As a matter of fact any player above the age of 23 in the PL is better than a 17 y/o. So once he's starting to reach the level where he's suppose to dominate it's not going to happen. Playing in the MSL is not the same as being a professional in Europe either. It's pure garbage - with regards to the american fans.

There's no secret a lot of african players lie about their age, and most of the times they don't even know when they were born. They're just kids playing on the street and their parents are dead. Other players who are a lot older than they really are are probably Oba Martins, Kanu, and Okucha - or however you spell his name.
What you can say about Freddy Adu is that he had a nice time in bed. He really made the best of his time in the spotlights and fair play to him.

I'll assume you haven't read the entire thread.

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

Babayaro said he was in the same youth team as Obi Martins despite being 6 years older than him.

This was also backed up by the Nigerian FA's Website who had his D.O.B down as May, 1978 rather than October 1984

No links? You don't mind if I call bullshit since when I checked your last link it was a treasure trove of bullshit undermining your own argument.

So, go ahead and bring forth the proof you have just laid out so matter of factly.

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

Anyone think that the reason maybe he didn't develop, was that he spent his formative years in the US?

Put him at a top club in Europe with a well known developmental program and it might be a different story.

Potential is only potential, you need the right dedication (he apparently is a lazy ass), the right teachers, the right environment among other things.

He was in the US and he was lazy.

Spot on. And it also further undermines the argument that his birth certificate was changed to play football. He was offered several contracts to play in Europe when he was younger and his mom turned them all down.

That means, a kid who lied about his age to play football turned down a contract at AC Milan to play football at DC United in MLS.

Jesus, anyway you look at it, it's fecking amazing anyone would believe the conspiracy theory.

He's just not good.

 

[Pexbo]

No links? You don't mind if I call bullshit since when I checked your last link it was a treasure trove of bullshit undermining your own argument.

So, go ahead and bring forth the proof you have just laid out so matter of factly.

I was shocked to hear that Julius Aghahowa is twenty four years during his transfer from Dynamo Kiev to Wigan Football club of England. You and I know that it is definitely not true. In fact I was in Bayero University in 1999 during the Junior World Cup hosted in Nigeria when the Nigerian team came to play in Kano after they came second in their group in the first round stage played in Lagos. The team trained at the Old site campus and I went to watch them. I was twenty three years old then and all of them were my senior. Obafemi Martins claimed to be twenty two when he left Inter Milan for Newcastle. He almost had a problem during the transfer as Celestine Babayaro had earlier told the coach that he played with Martins when he was in Nigeria. It was an easy calculation. If Martins played with Babayaro then he couldn’t possibly be twenty. But somehow that controversy was resolved. When they say ‘football age’ in Nigeria, you know what that means.

Spoiler

It is not just Julius or Martins. It is the entire Nigerian national team, the national league, and football in Nigeria and Africa. A friend of mine who once played in the Nigerian league with Jigawa Stars told me his real age was thirty four two years ago but his football age was twenty one. He is still actively playing. He should be thirty six now and his football age twenty three. Everyone simply keeps a blind eye at such outrageous claims by footballers and other sportsmen. It is a taboo to talk about it yet everyone knows that they are lying. Even the press manage to ignore it.

Clement Westerhof, former Nigerian national team coach who is managing a football academy in Ilorin, Kwara State, complained of the age problems as he could not ascertain the ages of the footballers recruited at the academy. In football, age can be reduced drastically without qualms. It is easier as there are no records. You can walk into any immigration office in Nigeria today, forge documents at the nearby business centre, change your name, place of birth, date of birth, pay seven to ten thousand naira instead of the official price of about five thousand five hundred naira for international passport and within hours you have completed the whole process of getting an international passport. The next day all you need to do is to go to the immigration office and get your international passport.

Phillip Osundo is the known Nigerian footballer that was prosecuted for lying about his age in Belgium, but Osundo is not the only one lying about age. A sport journalist once said that the whole players that left the shore of Nigeria to play outside the country lied about their age. In recent time it has become an accepted norm in Nigerian football.

Why is nobody talking about it or doing anything about it? It has to do with the crass failure in all fabrics of Nigerian institutions. The sport institutions have failed completely to develop grassroots football in primary and secondary schools where at least one can be sure of getting young teenage players. The Nigerian league is full of elderly players who reduced from eight to ten years or more from their real age. Luis Figo the Portuguese international and Inter Milan player played in the Youth Championship tagged Saudi’89. While Luis Figo is still playing active football most of our players who played in that tournament in 1989 have retired and become grandpas. This overage syndrome has affected our football over the years as players who are past their prime are used in competitive tournaments and they end up disappointing the nation.

We need to learn one or two things from Arsene Wenger, the coach of Arsenal football club of England. Even though Arsenal would go without trophy this season, Wenger has proven that youthfulness is a great advantage in modern football. The place to start from would be as early as primary school where talents can be nurtured. Many people have suggested this idea and better ideas but you and I know that things don’t always work here. We need to go back to the grassroots to start working because if we continue to put up with lies it wouldn’t take us anywhere. You can cheat but those who do the right things and their home work win in the end, at least in football. When it comes to football cheating does not pay much.

Nigeria crash out of many international competition not because of lack of qualitative talented young players, but because the process of selection of these players has been so corrupted that one hears of money sharing hands before players are selected, or some senior government official or politician influencing selections of players. In a system where corruption is not checked and culprits punished, it is usually very difficult to get anything done rightly. There was a time when the brothers of our footballers were selected to represent Nigeria in a tournament. That same team has the brothers of Nwankwo Kanu, Sunday Oliseh, Tijani Babangida and their friends, and none of them have made it big on the international stage today or in the national team. They had used the influence of their big brothers when the country’s football was controlled by a cabal of mafia footballers to gain admission into the junior national team.

As Nigeria prepares for 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Super Eagles of Nigeria would be going to the tournament with many players who have lied about their age and reduced eight to ten years and more from their real age. The overage syndrome would definitely affect the Nigerian national team in 2010 in South Africa as they would be playing against very professional European and South American sides who would use youthfulness and experience of the few mature players to lift the most prestigious sport trophy on earth.

It's worth reading the rest of the article in the spoilers.

You seem to be on a one man mission to prove what everyone knows is wrong. It's a well known fact that young African players advertise themselves as several years younger as alot of them have no passports. What may be an average player at the age of 23 or 24 excells at the age of 16 or 17 and they have a transfer value.

I'm not trying to be offensive here and I see now harm in suspecting Adu either as there are lots things that point towards him being another one of these.

1. Playing with players much older than him "at a very young age".

2. He was given his first passport when he arrived in America.

3. He had no problem playing with player's 3 or 4 years older than him when he was just "10-12" years old.

4. He was physically developed enough to compete with professional adults at the age of "14".

5. He was fully grown at the age of 14, despite the fact most adult's don't stop growing til they are at least 19.

6. The general trend for most African players who claim to be younger than they are is to excell against the age group they claim to be in before they peak early and disappear into obsquerity.

 

[I'm always right]

Craziest thread ever, it's like being in another dimension.

 

[phelans shorts]

How come sharks?

Can I add the concept that Kanu is 34 is hilarious.

 

[I'm always right]

How come sharks?

Its all your fault, you sent it spiraling off at some mad tangent

 

[Pexbo]

How come sharks?

Can I add the concept that Kanu is 34 is hilarious.

Not without Redwood giving you a bollocking you cant.

 

[phelans shorts]

Its all your fault, you sent it spiraling off at some mad tangent

Would I do such a thing?

 

[phelans shorts]

Not without Redwood giving you a bollocking you cant.

No but seriously, even redwood can't think Kanu is 34, he is at least 40, you seriously worry about him whenever he goes down!

 

[cj_sparky]

Chievo's Luciano aka Eriberto. Joined Palmeiras supposedly aged 18.....when he was infact 22. The Brazilian had a fake passport and his real age wasn't found out until 2002. He was banned for 6 months, it can happen and does happen.

 

[Nucks]

I dunno about that...

You'd certainly wonder if he'd been taking hormone enhancers and was a fecking big, strong 17 year old!

That isn't big for 17 at all. Jesus, where do you live that 6 feet tall is large at 17.

 

[redwhiteblack]

That isn't big for 17 at all. Jesus, where do you live that 6 feet tall is large at 17.

I'm not Jesus, I didn't say anything about height, and Gibson would be an incredibly big, strong 17 year old.

To say anything otherwise is ludicrous.

 

[MrMarcello]

I see it all the time in various sports in the US. Some kids hit puberty a year or two or three earlier than their classmates. Some are naturally bigger, stronger, faster. So these youngsters already have a physical advantage over their counterparts. It's no wonder that they often dominate the sporting landscape. At the juvenile age, power/speed/size often decimates their lesser opposition and outshines their teammates. By the time the others catch up in size, speed, maturity, etc., usually around the mid-teens, the once kings of the court/diamond/field/pitch are usually surpassed by the scrawny kid of five years ago.

 

[MrMarcello]

"He was subsequently touted as the next Pelé; by Pelé himself."

Pele would be a terrible scout. How many "next Peles" has he identified over the years?

It's like Nostradamus - none of his predictions ever came to fruition yet people still listen.

 

[AlwaysRedwood]

No but seriously, even redwood can't think Kanu is 34, he is at least 40, you seriously worry about him whenever he goes down!

I do not think Kanu is 34. But I also don't think he immigrated to a country like the US at age 8.

It's just different circumstances. Many people from poor countries fake passports and work papers. Its' a different story to become a citizen and to have a mother who won a lottery and could lose it if it came to light.